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H. A. MACE.

FLOOD FENGE No. 448,154. Patented Mar. 10,1891.

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IIARVEYA. MACE, Ol MOUN" ZION, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR Oh ONE-HALF TO DAVID BLALOCK, OF SAME PLACE.

FLOOD-FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 448,154, dated March 10, 1891. Application filed October 1, 1890. Serial No. 366,785. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IIARVEY A. MACE, of Mount Zion, in the county of Macon and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flood-Fences; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in flood-fences.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved flood-fence extremely strong and durable, effectively closing the opening when the water is low and allowing the free passage of water and drift in time of flood. These objects are accomplished by and the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts more fully described hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective showing the fence, the anchors or holding-stakes being shown in -dotted lines. Fig. 2 is an end view of the construction of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross-section through the swinging beam.

In the drawings, the refereneeletter a indicates the two horizontal ground-sills buried below the surface of the ground. Each sill has the swinging clevises b pivoted to and extending beyond its beveled ends, and stakes c are driven into the earth in inclined directions, as shown through said clevises and against the ends of the sills, thereby firmly and rigidly anchoringthe same. These stakes tightly wedge against the ends of the sill and are held by the clevises, which, being loosely joined to the sills, can accommodate themselves to the angle at which the stakes enter the ground. Each sill is provided with a supportingframe composed of a pair of inclined beams (Z at their lower ends, secured rigidly to the sill a distance apart and from thence extending upwardly and secured together at their upper ends, thus forming a frame of great rigidity in the form of an isosceles triangle. A strong horizontal bolt 6 is passed through the upper portions of each pair of beams cl a short distance below the upper ends thereof and the apex of the angle formed thereby. The swinging beam f extends between said ground-sills, and at its ends extends beneath the supporting-bolts c c, and is suspended loosely from the same by means of links g, embracing and sliding on said bolts, and at their lower ends pivotally and strongly secured to the respective ends of the swinging beam. 71v are the vertical pickets carried by said beam. This swinging beam is preferably formed in two longitudinal sections, one of which on its inner face'is provided with sockets to receive the lower ends of the pickets, and the two sections are then rigidly secured together. This manner of securing the pickets makes the structure very rigid and the pickets cannot be knocked off except by breaking them. In case of flood or high water drift floating down will strike the pickets, and thereby rotate the beam'so as to swing down the pickets into a horizontal position. \Vhen the beamfswings so as to turn the pickets down, it swings on said links up against one of the inclined beams and the links slide to the opposite end of the supporting-bolts.

The many advantages and great durability and effectiveness of this combination are obvious.

I do not herein broadly claim a swinging beam carried by links suspended from horizontal bolts connecting parallel vertical posts mounted on horizontal sills; nor do I broadly claim inclined stakes for anchoring a horizontal sill, nor other features herein set forth and separately disclosed in the prior state of the art; but

IV hat I claim is The hereiirdescribed flood-fence, consisting in the combination of the parallel horizontal sills a a, buried beneath the surface of the earth and having beveled ends and anchored bystakes driven through clevises against said ends, a triangular supporting-frame on each sill, consisting of the two beams d d, at their lower ends secured on the silla distance apart and rigidly and directly bolted together at In testimony that I claim the foregoing as their npperends, the swinging beamf, loosely my own I affix my signature in presence of to suspended within said frames from the upper two witnesses.

portions of said beams d, the horizontal bolts (2, and the suspending-links thereon carrying beam f, said swinging beam being formed in \Vitnesses.

HARVEY A. MACE.

longitudinal sections between which the pick- \VILLIAM B. HUNTER, ets are clamped, as set forth. J. M. HUTOHISON. 

